China welcomes Year of the Horse

11:17 AM,
Jan. 31, 2014

Performers display a dragon dance during a Chinese New Year parade in Hong Kong on January 31, 2014.

Written by

Calum MacLeod
USA TODAY

China greeted the Year of the Horse on Thursday night with a deafening barrage of fireworks and firecrackers, though the customary display was slightly muted due to government campaigns against pollution, waste and corruption.

The sound and fury reached their most intense around midnight of the Lunar New Year's Eve in China's traditional calendar as citizens welcomed the "Spring Festival," China's most important holiday. The explosive fireworks are believed to banish evil spirits and ensure good fortune in the year ahead.